FAQ

You sure do! As with any super awesome and fun activity, there are inherent risks in climbing that we cannot fully remove. We do everything within our power to minimize that risk as much as humanly possible, but alas, insurance companies are real and for liability reasons, anyone who participates in any PRG activity must have a signed waiver on file.

For participants under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the waiver. You cannot sign a waiver for any child who is not under your legal custody.

Ah, yes. Excellent question. Just like how snowboarding and skiing are two different activities that require you to slide down a snow-covered hill, climbing has different styles of the same sport.

We offer three kinds in our facilities:

Top Roping – When you think of climbing, you probably imagine a climber wearing a harness and tied to a rope, with their partner standing on the ground, holding the other end of the rope (known as “belaying”). That’s Top Rope climbing! The rope is already anchored at the top of the wall, hence the name.Bouldering – Named after the act of scrambling up giant outdoor boulders, bouldering is a style of climbing done on shorter walls, without ropes, but with big, cushy mats beneath you. It does not require a climbing partner, so it’s an awesome way to get into the sport if you’re flying solo at the gym.Lead Climbing – A more advanced style of climbing, the climber ‘leads’ their rope up the wall, clipping in to certain anchor points called ‘quick draws’ as they climb.

Well, you found our website, so you are off to a killer start, my friend! Our Intro to Climbing Packages are the perfect launch pad to your newest obsession (you’ll see).

You receive:

Intro to Top Rope Class – We’ll show you the ropes. Literally.
Intro to Bouldering Class – Short walls, cushy pads, and no ropes necessary.
Day Pass and gear rentals the day of your first class
A FREE two-week trial membership

You must be 16 or older to take a class. Click here to select a location and schedule your class!

Welcome, rock star! Experienced climbers who can confidently demonstrate that they are proficient in safety basics for top rope belaying and/or bouldering can take a certification test and test out of the class. Then you’ll be a PRG certified rock star.

Nope! Our equipment is rated to hold far more weight than you would ever need to consider. Obviously, you should consult your physician before engaging in any physical activity if you have additional concerns.

At PRG, we believe ALL aspects of climbing safety are equally important.

Just as we would not assume that you would automatically know how to use the ropes effectively, we do not assume that you would automatically know how to minimize the risks of falling off of a 15 foot bouldering wall—it’s just not something that most people generally do (or feel comfortable doing).

As with other sports where falling is commonplace—martial arts, gymnastics, wrestling—training and practice in proper landings, and an awareness of the risks, reduce the rates of injury, increases your comfort level, and, as a result, enhances your enjoyment of the sport.

So yeah, we’re a bit different, and it’s entirely because we love you and care about you. (Awww.)

Kiddos under the age of 16 must climb on a rope. The only exception to this rule is for our Youth Program participants who are under the relentless supervision of our stellar coaching staff.

This means they will need to be accompanied by an adult who can hold the safety rope for them. Your options are:

Learn to hold the rope yourself: Our Family Intro to Climbing Packages are an awesome and cost-effective way for mom or dad to learn how to use the ropes, while the kiddos get to climb their hearts out.

Let us hold the ropes: We offer Youth Walk In Packages every Saturday and Sunday. Buy a certain number of climbs, and let us do all the work, so your hands are free to take all the photos. First come, first serve!

There is no minimum age to get started! Most kids don’t really take to it until they are 4 or 5, but if your kiddo can fit into our smallest harness and is already climbing your walls at home, we’ll get them climbing!

Negative! We do not use auto-belays at any of our facilities. Every decision we make in our facilities is designed to minimize risk and maximize safety. While auto-belays are convenient, they are subject to mechanical failure, and they greatly increase the likelihood of ‘clipping in’ incorrectly, resulting in several key statistics we can’t ignore. We believe in climbing on ropes with a partner.